Camshaft bolts >:(

[Irish Pride]

Just for future reference in case someone else needs to know down the road, an easy out is the best option for removing the dowels without damaging them. I tried the drill bit and it still dug into the wall of the dowel. The easy out popped it right out. Like Jason said before, I've done this many times over. I plan to have studs installed on my next head swap.

 

[Fordlover96]

So the car will crank but not start. I think the timing is so messed up that it won't even turn over now. I gotta figure out what the correct timing is. The thing is I swear the timing marks, aka the white links, are in no sight. So I'm gonna figure it something. Would any of you guys mind sharing a pic of the camshaft timing? If you have one on hand. Appreciate it!

 

[rubydist]

that still does not look right to me. on the end of the cam near the chain sprocket, there is a boss with two small flats on it as black92 points out. those flats must be parallel on both cams to have the orientation correct. the tool discussed above makes this much easier to accomplish, but you can do it by eye if you are patient.

 

[Fordlover96]

Alright, I'll take a look at the flat points on the camshaft and line them up if they aren't. Thanks again so much guys! Ill let you know what happens!

 

[Fordlover96]

Lined up he flat points, put the car back together and bam! The car won't idle. Almost sounds like a back vacuum leak? In park and neutral it will idle at 2k and then if you move it into anything else the idle will drop back down to 800 and shake and wanna die. It's never done! Haha

 

[luigisho]

sounds like timing or vacuum. you try spray or smoke for vacuum?

 

[rubydist]

now you should show us what the timing belt alignment looks like, cause that or a vacuum leak are the most common issues to cause your symptoms.

 

[Fordlover96]

Alright, here's a video of the problem if you guys wouldn't mind.

I don't think it's the timing belt bc I haven't messed with it and the car ran fine to begin with.

I sprayed around with some brake cleaner and nothing? As the video shows, the car runs nice and smooth at higher revs. The car itself with hold it at 2k if you rev it past idle (which you gotta do to prevent it from stalling) It gets all nasty the lower the revs go.

I did notice some smoke coming from the exhaust too when it was revved.

 

[rubydist]

so you never took the timing belt off and when you were messing around with all the cam chain timing issues, you were only changing the exhaust cam orientation?

 

[Fordlover96]

so you never took the timing belt off and when you were messing around with all the cam chain timing issues, you were only changing the exhaust cam orientation?

Right. Nothing got moved but that exhaust cam. I swapped out the chain tensioner and had to move that cam in the process. In the reinstalling process is when I started having issues lol

 

[rubydist]

ok, then I agree that the timing belt should be fine.

I would be looking for intake leaks next.

 

[Fordlover96]

In one last final attempt I decided to take it all back apart. I compared the untouched cams in the left bank (top) to the ones I've messed with (bottom)and the flat spots on that journal are exactly the same.

So I'm gonna clean it all up, get it back together. Throw some fresh intake manifold gaskets, maybe try tightening the actual intake bolts that go into he head first (better seal?) and see what happensss